Temporomandibular Disorders: Ways to Ease Pain

Topic Overview

Put either an ice pack or a warm, moist cloth on your jaw for 15
minutes several times a day. You can try switching
back and forth between moist heat and cold. Gently open and close your mouth
while you use the ice pack or heat.

Apply moist heat to your jaw to relieve sore,
tense muscles.

Dip a towel in hot tap water or warm a damp towel
in a microwave oven. You may also use a hot pack, electric moist heating unit,
or a heating pad set on low or medium.

Apply moist heat (no warmer than bath water) to your jaw
muscles 3 to 4 times a day for 15 minutes each time.

If moist
heat alone does not bring relief, alternate moist heat and an ice pack. Apply
each for 5 to 8 minutes.

Do not use heat if you have had an injury to
the jaw, you have difficulty sensing pain, or you have poor blood
circulation.

Apply ice to your jaw if there is swelling,
such as from a recent injury.

Apply ice 3 or 4 times a day for 15 minutes
each time. Do this for the first 3 days.

After 3 days, apply moist
heat, following the same schedule, for 1 week.

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